When a car owner has a child, the issue of purchasing a child car seat becomes acute, because according to traffic regulations, driving without such special equipment is prohibited. And for many people who are faced with this problem, a lot of questions arise: what to buy, where to buy, how much to buy... And also what to look at, how to fasten it, and “are they different?” In this article we will try to explain as clearly as possible what you should pay attention to when choosing child car seat.
To begin with, an excerpt from the Russian Traffic Regulations on this issue:
22.9. Transportation of children is permitted provided their safety is ensured, taking into account the design features vehicle.
Transportation of children under 12 years of age in vehicles equipped with seat belts must be carried out using child restraints appropriate for the weight and height of the child, or other means allowing the child to be fastened using seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle, and front seat passenger car- only using child restraints.
It is prohibited to transport children under 12 years of age on the back seat of a motorcycle.
To put it simply: everyone needs to wear a seat belt, especially children. However, due to their smaller height and build, “adult” seat belts are not suitable for securing a small child, not to mention infants. And no matter what mothers say “I won’t let him out of my arms” or “it will be calmer in my arms”, and in the event of an accident no human strength is enough to hold the child in place, no one has yet canceled the laws of physics.
Of course, children “under 12 years old” have not used seat belts for a long time, and traffic police officers often turn a blind eye to this... But let us remind you: many official rules (safety precautions, rules traffic etc.) are not just invented, but written in blood. And it’s good that you don’t add a new page to this set of responsibilities.
- Every child car seat sold must have a safety certificate of conformity ECE R44/03 or ECE R44/04.
- By type of mounting in the car they come in two types: with ISOFIX fasteners (your car must have the corresponding eyes) and threading a standard seat belt into special slots in the seat
- Separating car seats by child's weight. In total, there are five groups into which children's car seats are divided; they create a variety of shapes.
Regarding the first point and the difference in certificates: the first (ECE R44/03) is an earlier, modern and current certificate - ECE R44/04, supplementing and correcting the previous one. The presence of this certificate for a particular model means that it has passed a series of serious tests by the European Commission. If the mark of the German organization ADAC is also present, this will be an additional plus for purchasing this chair.
As already mentioned, not all cars have ISOFIX; this issue should be clarified in advance. If available, the child car seat is secured with special latches in the eyes of the rear row of seats. Noting the presence of this opportunity, automakers now indicate this point on a separate line in the specifications for the car. If you have ISOFIX, then the seat can be secured in three places on the rear sofa.
If you are not aware of the above issue, then the easiest way is to buy the second option with fastening the child car seat with a standard seat belt. The fastening system is usually clearly drawn directly on the chair itself or in the instructions for it.
Division of child car seats into groups:
- Group O— for children up to 10 kg (up to approximately one year). In essence, this is a cradle where the child lies quite comfortably. It is secured with a wide and soft belt, and the head is secured on all sides with special protection. However, in general, protection of such a design is not universal enough; we recommend paying attention to the next group.
- Group 0+ for children up to 13 kg (0 - 1.5 years) - these are the so-called “baby cocoons”. The same cradles, but equipped with a handle that allows you to use the chair as a carrier, rocking chair or just a high chair. The child is placed facing the direction of travel, which additionally protects him from a frontal impact into the car.
- Group O+/I for children from 9 to 18 kg (1 - 4 years) - the design is generally similar, a similar plastic “soap box” with a power frame. The difference from the previous point is the ability to tilt the chair along the guides, which makes it possible to tilt the chair back for a comfortable sleep. It can be installed both forward-facing and rear-facing: for group O+, the child will lie facing against the direction of travel, and can be installed facing forward in the rear seat.
- Group II for children from 15 to 25 kg (3 - 7 years) - these are car seats designed for a long period of travel and the growth of the child, transforming with the child and gradually moving from built-in seat belts to standard ones. Installed exclusively on the rear seat, individual models can be transformed into so-called “boosters” of the latter group.
By groups, and I will also go into more detail about the description of each group.
Classification by groups:
As can be seen from the classification, there are car seats that combine the functions of several groups at once. Such seats are convenient when moving from one group to another, when the child in the seat of one group has already grown up, but is still too small for the other. As a rule, buying a universal seat is cheaper than car seats different groups, but in safety it is inferior to chairs of groups 0+, 1 and 2/3.
Let's take a closer look at the car seats of each group:
GROUP 0 (Weight 0-10kg, Age 0-6 months)
Group 0 car seat— is a special car seat, which is intended for newborns, as well as for children with low weight. It looks like a stroller cradle, equipped with internal seat belts. A group 0 car seat is installed on the rear sofa with its side facing the direction of travel (the child’s legs are directed towards the car door) and is secured with the car’s standard seat belt.
It should be noted that a regular stroller cradle cannot be used, since the child is not properly secured in it, and the design of the stroller itself is simply not capable of ensuring the child’s safety.
Cradles with internal straps that secure the child are classified as child restraint devices (group 0 car seats) if they meet the requirements of the European standard ECE-R44/04(03) or Russian GOST 41.44-2005.
Attention! Only a small part of group 0 car seats provides the necessary safety for a child!
The best safety records Romer Baby Safe Sleeper(5 for safety, 4 for overall crash rating).
With this car seat you can welcome your child home from the hospital and carry him around for the first months of life. The baby will lie in it, there will be no unwanted stress on the neck and spine, and at the same time the baby will be safe in case of unwanted incidents.
This car seat can be placed on the chassis of strollers Britax and be used as a full-fledged stroller-cradle.
GROUP 0+ (Weight 0-13kg, Age 0 months-1 year)
Child car seats group 0+ Designed for children from birth to 1 year (weighing less than 13 kg). Group 0+ child car seats are often called carriers- they are relatively light, easily carried with the child and can be used at home as rocking chair or chaise lounge.
Installed facing backwards, the child is secured with built-in internal straps. This position is explained by the need to relieve the baby’s fragile neck and spine. Sharp braking provokes a deadly “nod” of the head, which is eliminated when correct installation rear-facing car seats.
Some models can install on special bases, which are mounted in the car interior. This makes the carrier easier to remove and install and, more often than not, improves safety. A group 0+ child car seat is the best choice for a newborn baby. For children under 6 kg, a special newborn insert is often used, which provides an almost horizontal position.
The argument that “Newborns should not sit in a chair” is not accepted, because the baby does not sit, but reclines in a chair at an angle of 30-45 degrees. In this position, the load is distributed throughout the body and does not exert vertical pressure on the spine.
The car seat has some compression effect on the baby's abdomen, which, due to the nature of the newborn's respiratory system, can lead to insufficient oxygen saturation of the blood. But studies have shown that if a child is in a chair for less than an hour and a half, it is not harmful to his health.
It is very important that the tilt of the seat back is correct, and is within 30-45 degrees.
A flatter angle (more than 45 degrees) greatly reduces the safety of the car seat in frontal impacts.
If the position is too high (angle less than 30 degrees), the child's head will fall forward, which can lead to difficulty breathing and, as a result, to insufficient oxygen saturation of the blood.
In terms of safety, the following car seats 0-13 performed best:
Romer Baby Safe Plus, Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix,Maxi-Cosi Pebbe,Kiddy Maxifix Pro, Cybex Aton,Recaro Young Profi Plus.
All these chairs show top scores in group 0+, subject to installation on platforms Isofix. These chairs can also be fastened with a regular standard belt, in which safety still remains the highest among analogues. They use excellent, expensive materials, and a lot of attention is paid to ergonomic characteristics.
Most inexpensive car seats groups 0+, which showed good test results in different years - Maxi-Cosi Citi SPS,Chicco Synthesis X-Plus, Hauck Zero plus.
GROUP 0+/1 (Weight 0-18kg, Age 0 months-4 years)
Child car seats group 0+/1 Designed for children from birth (but better from 4-5 months, since chairs in this group are much more sedentary than 0+) and up to about 4 years old (weighing less than 18 kg).
They are installed facing the direction of travel first, the child is secured with built-in internal belts.
When the child turns 1 year old, the child car seat must be installed facing the direction of travel.
Car seats have angle adjustment to change sleep/wake positions. A group 0+/1 child car seat is the best choice for a large child who is already several months old.
But when choosing, you should take into account that car seats of group 0+/1 are most often inferior to car seats of group 0+ and group 1 in terms of convenience and safety. Only a small number of car seats received satisfactory ratings in crash tests
Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of this group. The main advantage is saving
- , because instead of 2 chairs you buy one. Suitable for large children, when 0+ is already small, and group 1 is still too early due to age. First minus - these chairs are designed for permanently mounted in a car
- , i.e. There is no opportunity to carry a small child directly in a car seat, and the advantages of the cradle are lost. It is no longer possible to put the child to bed at home, cover him from above, or take the sleeping child out of the car along with the chair. - Second minus versatility manifests itself in reduced safety , and for these car seats, a rating of "fair" in independent testing is the best recommendation. Also, when purchasing a 0+/1 chair, you should make sure that The belt is long enough
- , installing it against the direction of travel requires a lot of it. -Third minus The child quickly outgrows a chair of this height category.
Thus, it makes sense to purchase car seats 0+/1 either for the purpose of saving, when it is not possible to purchase 2 seats with good safety indicators for each child in his group during the year, or in cases where the question of transporting a child arose when he is one month old 5-7. In this case, there is simply no point in purchasing a group 0+ car seat, because The baby will grow out of it in a couple of months, but he has not yet grown to a full-fledged group 1 car seat due to his age
Attention! In chairs of this category, for at least one year, a child should ride with his or her back in the direction of travel. A small child has a relatively large and heavy head with very weak neck muscles. As a result, in the event of even just sudden braking in a forward-facing position, he can suffer an injury to the cervical spine, even death.
Among car seats of group 0+/1, only Britax/Romer First Class, as the most secure and accessible in this category.
GROUP 1 (Weight 9-18kg, Age 9 months-4 years)
Group 1 car seat Designed for children from one year to about 4 years old (weighing from 9 to 18 kg).
Car seats with a safety table can be used when the child reaches 9 months of age.
All chairs are installed facing forward.
The seat must have internal five-point harnesses or a safety restraining table.(Typical for car seats Kiddy).
Group 1 car seats have tilt angle adjustment to change sleep/wake positions.
A child can stay in a car seat of this group until he reaches a weight of 15-18 kg and an age of 3.5-4 years. The optimal choice for small children aged 1-2 years at the time of purchase.
All child car seats from group 1 have “rest positions”. The car seat can be moved to an inclined position, which makes it more comfortable for the baby to sleep.
Often, parents start looking for a car seat with the “most horizontal sleeping position.” In real, a large angle of inclination of a child car seat in the “rest position” is not made by any serious well-known manufacturer. All seats will have a maximum tilt of 12-15 degrees, plus the tilt of the car seat itself. If you tilt more than expected, it will have a catastrophic effect on safety, because... Most of the load for group 1 seats would be on the straps in the groin area. 
In group 1 among best car seats In terms of safety, we especially note the company’s car seat lines Romer And Kiddy.
Let's take a closer look:
- Romer SafeFix, except the main fastening Isofix, equipped with a third fulcrum “leg”.
- Romer DUO Plus- in addition to Isofix, can be secured with an anchor strap TopTether.
- Romer King Plus demonstrated good results in tests despite the fact that the chair is not equipped with a system Isofix And cheaper. Also this model is perhaps the most spacious chair of group 1 (3-4 cm wider than analogues), which is important, especially in winter.
- Another very worthy one inexpensive car seat 1 group Kiddy Infinity Pro. It uses the typical Kiddy system for securing a child in a car seat - safety table instead of internal belts, which reduces the load on the cervical vertebrae in the event of a collision (since the child’s shoulders are not fixed in this chair).
- More suitable for large children Kiddy Energy Pro, it is wider.
According to the results of crash tests, these seats are recognized as the safest in group 1.
GROUP 1/2 (Weight 9-25kg, Age 1 year - 7 years)
Group 1/2 child car seats designed for children from 1 year to 7 years (9-25 kg).
They are rare, and, as crash tests show, they do not provide the necessary safety for a child. These chairs are not recommended for purchase.
GROUP 1/2/3 (Weight 9-36kg, Age 1 year - 12 years)
Group 1/2/3 child car seats Designed for children from 1 year to approximately 12 years (weighing from 9 to 36 kg).
Installed facing in the direction of travel. A child weighing 15-18 kg is secured with internal belts or a safety table, then the child is fastened with standard belts along with the seat.
Group 1/2/3 child car seats are often called universal— they are intended for children of a wide age range. But when choosing, you should take into account that Group 1/2/3 car seats are most often inferior in safety to Group 1 and Group 2/3 car seats. They should be purchased for large children or when the child is 2-3 years old at the time of purchase of the car seat.
The idea of uniting as many groups as possible in one chair is good in theory, but in practice This chair is not very comfortable for one-year-old children- the back of such chairs practically does not deviate for relaxation.
Good car seats have additional adjustments for growth. But still, they are designed for some average parameters and may not be suitable for a particular child.
Among the universal chairs of group 1-2-3 with good results According to crash tests, seats stand out Kiddy And Cybex with safety tables:
Kiddy Guardian Pro and Kiddy Comfort Pro are traditional leaders among universal car seats in terms of safety, have a comfortable sleeping position.
The Guardian has the best side protection.
Interesting German car seats Cybex Pallas and Cybex Pallas 2-fix also with safety tables. Moreover, the Cybex Pallas 2-fix model contains a system Isofix as an additional fastening.
Please note that to install these chairs 240 cm of standard car belt required and they are heavier than Kiddy.
Among the seats in this group, you can also note car seats with traditional belt fastenings - Britax/Romer Evolva 123 And RECARO Young Sport.
These seats are not as safe as car seats with safety tables, but are suitable for children who do not like a table. In addition, for installing a chair Recaro does not require a long belt.
GROUP 2 (Weight 15-25kg, Age 3.5 years - 7 years)
Group 2 car seat designed for children from 3.5 years to 7 years (15-25 kg, height from 100 cm).
Seats of this group in their pure form are very rare. Typically, manufacturers of child car seats combine models into a group of 2-3.
GROUP 2/3 (Weight 15-36kg, Age 3.5 years - 12 years)
Group 2-3 car seat intended for children from 3.5 to 12 years (weight from 15 kg, height from 100 cm). It does not have internal five-point harnesses or a safety table, so the child is secured with the seat using a standard seat belt, which is passed through special guides. 
Most European car seats in this group have some kind of “rest position”. The car seat is moved to an inclined position (tilt 10-15 degrees) in which it is more comfortable for the baby to sleep. Car seats in this category with the “most horizontal sleeping position” are unsafe. In some of these chairs, it is possible to completely unlock the backrest and get an arbitrary tilt, but this is done at your own peril and risk. If you tilt more than expected, it will have a catastrophic effect on safety, because... the effect of the child slipping out increases in group 2-3
Among these car seats, several models with fastening stand out Isofix. You should understand the difference between variations on a theme Isofix in group 2-3 and full-fledged Isofix in 1 and 0+ groups. Directly in a frontal collision, Isofix is designed for a weight of no more than 18-20 kg, so it could not provide anything in terms of the safety of large children. Let us immediately note that in group 2-3 it is 90% designed for greater stability of the chair in corners, especially when driving without a child. There is practically no load on it in a head-on accident, since it only holds the car seat itself in this group, and the child is held in place by a standard seat belt. In terms of safety, it provides some benefit by limiting the lateral movement of the car seat towards the door during a side impact.
As always, Among the safety leaders are Romer and Kiddy chairs. Children's car seats also performed well in tests Maxi-Cosi, Concord And Cybex.
GROUP 3 (Weight 22-36kg, Age 7 years - 12 years)
Group 3 car seat aka " booster", from English word booster- “amplifier”. It enhances the protection of children whose height and weight are already close to “adult” parameters.
The use of a booster is permissible if a child is over 120 cm tall and weighs over 22 kg.
Boosters lift the child in such a way that a standard car belt passes over the child’s body not through the neck and stomach, but through the shoulder and chest - the upper strap and through the thigh - the lower one. For this The booster must have a special strap with a buckle- for adjusting and fixing the standard belt on the child’s shoulder. Also, the belt must be positioned correctly - exactly along the protrusions on both sides of the booster. Otherwise, it may slip onto your stomach and cause internal injuries in the event of an accident. Both parts of the belt must be well tensioned.
Attention! Boosters without a buckle cannot be used!(Such boosters are often found in the designs of inexpensive chairs 9-36 kg and will not protect your child.) You cannot use boosters made of foam plastic (and such are found on sale).
It should be remembered that boosters do not provide any side impact protection and generally perform poorly in safety tests. The use of boosters is only possible as a last resort for very large children (9-12 years old) who no longer fit into an ordinary group 2-3 chair. Although a good booster will provide better protection for the child than various kinds of belt “adapters” or the complete absence of special protective devices.
You can read more about the safety of boosters in the article in Autoreview magazine http://www.autoreview.ru/archive/2008/06/chld_test/
Summarize.
To provide the best protection for your child, it is recommended to purchase seats 0+, then 1 and then 2/3. For children of non-standard build, you can use the following table when choosing a chair:
This table shows the child’s parameters at the time of purchase of the chair!
For example, if you bought a car when the child was 4 months old, and he weighs 8 kg, then there is no point in buying a seat of group 0+ (0-13 kg, 0 months-1 year), because a large child can grow out of it in just a couple of months. In this case, it is better to purchase a 0-18 car seat (after studying the results of crash tests, since there are few safe car seats in this category).
It is recommended for a child from 9 months to one year to ride in seats with a safety table instead of internal belts, because the table reduces the load on the baby’s cervical vertebrae in the event of a collision (there is no dangerous head nod, since the child’s shoulders are not fixed in this chair). This system of securing a child in a car seat is typical for Kiddy seats, which are leaders in safety among car seats, and even outperform seats with the Isofix system.
Important! The child must use a car seat until he reaches a height of 150 cm (regardless of weight and age) - this is the minimum height for which standard car seat belts are designed.
The child has grown from chairs 0-13 kg and 0-18 kg, if
- The child’s head “sticks out” above the chair;
- The belts are not long enough to secure the child in the car seat
But protruding legs are not an obstacle to using the chair (children fold their legs “frog”; for them this is a comfortable and physiological position).
The child has outgrown the seats over 9kg, if
- The head protrudes above the upper edge of the back by more than a third;
- The inner straps start below the child's shoulder;
The article was prepared using the following sources of information:
1. Children's Safety Center Avtodeti -http://www.avtodeti.ru/avtokreslo/gruppy_avtokresel/
2. Information center Detiavto -http://detiavto.info/
3. Online store for children's car seats -http://avtokresel.net/article_info1.php?articles_id1=2
With the choice of a car seat from 0 kg, I will begin a short series of articles devoted to the problem of choosing a child seat at each age. There won't be much guidance here on which specific car seat model to choose, but I'll list a number of key points to pay attention to.
Which child are we choosing for?
We will talk about choosing a chair for a newborn and for children under 5 months. Because If for some reason the child has not received his car seat before 5 months, I think it is right to take a combination seat of group 0+/1. Previously, I do not recommend taking such chairs 0+/1, because... the child will be frankly uncomfortable in them. And you too.
Why is it necessary?
It seems that this has already been written everywhere, but many mothers are still absolutely sure that it is safest to hold a small child in your arms. So, this is the saddest misconception among all erroneous opinions about child safety.
To put it very simply, the load on the mother’s hands at the moment of a collision at a speed of 50 km/h will exceed the child’s weight by about 30 times. So think about it, can you handle an instant and unexpected load of 120-150 kg? But in practice, the mother, on the contrary, also puts her weight on the child, reducing his chances of survival to 0.
But exactly like this Small child is the most fragile and therefore it is precisely at the age of up to one year that the use of child car seats from 0 kg gives the maximum safety effect among all age groups. And yet, these groups are the least popular in Russia among car seats for all ages. Parents think that they will not travel much with their child, that the seat has a short lifespan, and that it is expensive. Well, and the previously described common misconception about reliable maternal hands.
What is the difference between chairs 0 and 0+?
Both are designed for use with a child from birth.
Group 0 car seats resemble a sleeping block from a stroller, are installed perpendicular to the movement of the car and secured with 2 standard belts.
Pros:
– the child lies completely horizontally. The main plus. Ideal for transporting premature babies and children with spinal problems. Or for transporting newborns over very long distances.
Minuses:
– Used only up to 10 kg, in practice, up to approximately 6-8 months. As a result, as a rule, the child does not reach group 1 and has to buy a transformable chair 0+/1
– Takes up 2 seats in the car. There is little space for an adult in the back.
– Group 0 safety seats are VERY FEW. For many strollers we can see in the instructions that their sleeping blocks can be used as a child car seat. So, even professional manufacturers of child safety products have only a few successful models. Achieving good safety when positioned across the movement (and this is the only way the child can lie down completely) is much more difficult than if the child is placed rearward, as is done in the 0+ group. Examples of such models (in fact, they are almost everything that is safe): Romer Baby Safe Sleeper, Bebe Confort Windoo Plus, Jane Transporter 2.
Hence the next minus
- It's expensive. As already mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are very few safe models of group 0. And they all cost quite a lot, given the short period of use.
- Heavy weight. The actual chairs in this group weigh a lot. A carrying handle is included, but the most you can hope for is to carry your child in it to the stroller next to the car.
Car seats group 0+ (0-13 kg, approximately from birth to 12 months):
This is a more familiar carrier chair. Small, with a comfortable handle, weighing 3-5 kg. Placed in the car against the direction of travel. AND ONLY AGAINST. I have met talented parents who manage to install such a chair in the direction of travel, they say, this way the child can see better and he can also be seen better. I don’t know what they think. The child’s cervical vertebrae are not yet formed properly, and a “nod” even during sudden braking, not to mention a real accident, can cause serious injuries to him.
Pros:
– Relatively light. You can put the child inside the house and carry him in a chair. In the same way, you can take a sleeping baby out of the car directly in the car seat. Although I wouldn’t run long distances with such a load. I tried it myself - it’s really hard.
– Relatively compact. Takes up one space.
– Many safe models.
– There are models installed on Isofix bases. This type of fastening generally improves safety. And what’s important is that it’s much more convenient. Because There is no need to crawl when installing and removing the chair. cramped cabin with a belt, but just put the car seat 0+ on the base and press. To remove it, you just need to press a button or pull the corresponding handle and you can remove the chair from the car.
- It's not that expensive. Although there are models with normal safety from 3000, models in which the child will also be comfortable, they still start at 5 – 6 thousand rubles.
– There are strollers for many models of 0+ chairs, on which such a car seat can be installed. Convenient for visiting shopping centers and clinics.
Minuses:
– It is not completely horizontal. Often, far from completely. This is explained simply. The seat is installed against the direction of travel and in case of an accident the load should be evenly distributed over the child’s back. Accordingly, he should rest his back against the surface of the car seat. Therefore, one or another tilt and a certain degree of “sitting” are present in any child car seat in this group.
In Europe, it is considered normal to sit a child on a support, starting from birth. European doctors have their own arguments, we will not dwell on them now. In Russia, orthopedic doctors firmly take the position that a child who cannot sit independently must lie down. An ordinary non-medical person certainly cannot figure out who is right and who is wrong, therefore, you can look for a compromise option - a chair from 0 in which this angle is minimal. Or rather, it is most evenly distributed throughout the bowl. For example, models of this group from Maxi-Cosi (City, Cabriofix, Pebble). In 2014, the Cybex Aton Q model will begin shipping, where, also on my recommendation, the engineers paid attention to this point, and not just safety.
In any case, it is not recommended to travel without removing the baby from the 0+ seat for hours. At least every hour and a half it’s worth stopping and holding the baby in your arms.
– Models that use Isofix are more expensive, and the Isofix base itself is sold separately and costs no less than a car seat. In most models, after the end of the cradle's useful life, you can throw it away or try to sell it, because... it is no longer applied. Although there are exceptions, such as car seat models Maxi-Cosi, Peg-Perego, Recaro.
– Small capacity. The indicated period of use of a car seat from 0 to 13 kg (years) is for a thin child whose service life ends in the hot summer month, when he rides without clothes. In practice, the average period of use is up to 9 months. It often turns out that a rapidly growing baby outgrows this chair even earlier and has to take a combination chair 0+/1. Although in the last 2 years, decent models have appeared in the 0+/1 group, although they are expensive, so everything is no longer so scary. 
To extend the period of use, you need to understand that huge overalls “for growth” and children’s safety are not compatible. The solution is special envelopes with slots for car seat belts while the child is not walking. And in the future - modern overalls that are smaller in size.
Well, one last well-known note: Group 0+ seats can only be installed when the front airbag is disabled. The impact of an expanding pillow on a baby's head is comparable to a blow from a sledgehammer, so this is not a formality.
Used for children aged from birth to 12 years. But if the child’s height is below 150 cm and weight is 36 kg, then he should still be transported in.
According to statistics, road traffic accidents are the main cause of death for children aged 1 to 14 years. About 50% of those under 5 years of age die in car accidents simply because they were not wearing seat belts.
It should also be noted that parents fasten almost 95% of children incorrectly during the trip.
All car seats are divided into groups according to the age and weight of the child.
Group 0. This includes children from birth to 6 months. Child weight up to 10 kg.
Group 0+. Children weighing up to 13 kg under the age of 1 year. Such children must be transported facing the direction of the vehicle.
Group 1. Child weight from 9 to 18 kg, age from 9 months to 4 years. Children of this age can already be transported in the direction of travel.
Group 2. Child weight from 15 to 25 kg, age 3–7 years. The child must be transported facing the direction of travel of the vehicle.
Group 3. Children weighing from 22 to 36 kg, aged 6–12 years. Transport in the direction of travel.
The fact is that during a collision, the human body continues to move forward by inertia. A small child has a disproportionately large head, and the cervical vertebrae are not yet strong. During an accident, the neck may be injured if the child is transported facing the direction of the vehicle.
Mounting methods and the safest place in the car
In Europe they are attached to the car in two ways.
The first method involves fastening using a standard three-point seat belt. Seats with such mounting can be installed in almost any car, including domestic production.
However, for some models, not all cars have enough seat belts. The buckles for fastening the car seat belt are also not positioned properly in all cars. The car seat should be installed strictly according to the instructions, otherwise the child may be irreparably injured during an accident.
The downside to attaching a car seat using a three-point belt is that it is difficult.
The second method of fastening is using the ISOFIX system, popular in Europe. Equipment domestic cars such a system is still being planned. The ISOFIX system ensures quick and easy installation of the car seat in the car, eliminating installation errors.
In America, the LATCH (latch) system is used, an analogue of the European ISOFIX.
The debate continues about which one safe place in the car. Some experts argue that the front one is next to the driver.
But recent studies have shown that the safest place in a car is the rear middle one. In any accident, it is always 16% safer than all others.
It is advisable to install the child's seat in the middle, rear seat. This will provide maximum protection for the child during a traffic accident.
Types of child car seats
As many people know, children's car seats are divided into five groups. Each of them corresponds to a certain weight of the child. There is an opinion that groups are clearly tied to the age of children, but this is not entirely true. Although most children at a certain age fit into very specific weight limits, there are always non-standard cases. Therefore, when choosing a child car seat, you must be guided by many parameters: weight, age, height, etc.
According to European standards, which Russian legislation in the field of child car safety is currently guided by, there are the following categories of car seats:
- group 0 - for children weighing up to 10 kg and up to one year old;
- group 0+ - for children weighing up to 13 kg and up to one and a half years old;
- group 1 - for children weighing from 9 to 18 kg and ages from one to four years;
- group 2 - for children weighing from 15 to 25 kg and ages from three to seven years;
- group 3 - for children weighing from 22 to 36 kg and aged six years and older.
As you can see, there are no clear boundaries between groups. This is due to the need to individually select a child car seat. In addition, there are universal chairs that can match the characteristics of several groups at once. In this case, their category is indicated by several numbers separated by a comma or hyphen, for example, group 0.0+ or group 1-2-3.
The problem of choosing a seat for a child is complicated by the fact that there is special terminology. Some types of car seats have their own names. You can even say that the term “car seat” refers to a whole class of special child restraint devices, many of which, in fact, are not seats at all. It is this terminology that will be discussed in the article. I hope that once you understand how one type of car seat differs from another, it will be easier for you to choose the most suitable model for your child.
Car seats
A car seat is a restraint device for very young children. Most often it belongs to group 0, less often you can find models corresponding to group 0+. You can also see more universal infant carriers of type 0.0+ on sale.
The special feature of the car seat is that it is designed for transporting small children in a horizontal position. Formally, a car seat is not a seat, but it belongs to special child restraint devices. Transporting children in such a device is not only permitted, but also mandatory.
Car seats can be installed both in the back seat of a car and in the front seat. In any case, they must be secured strictly against the direction of travel. This is explained by the fact that a child under the age of one year has a disproportionately heavy head and a weak neck. Therefore, if the infant carrier is installed in the direction of travel, the child may be injured in a frontal impact. There are also models designed for installation only in the rear seat, perpendicular to the direction of travel.
The car seat may have a molded plastic body. It may also have a metal frame. An integral part of this device is the soft upholstery, which not only makes the ride more comfortable for the baby, but also additionally protects it in the event of an impact. This cradle is attached to the seat using standard seat belts, and in order to better protect the baby, it has additional belts.
The car seat can also be used outside the car. It can be used as a carrier (for this purpose the cradle can be equipped with built-in or removable handles) or a cradle that can be rocked; The car seat can also be installed on the chassis, after which it turns into a stroller. Therefore, when buying a car cradle for a baby, you need to keep in mind that a model that is too heavy will be uncomfortable to carry in your hands.
Carrying
Carriers most often fall into the 0+ category and are designed for babies who can already sit up independently. This device is similar to a car seat in that it can be used independently of the car. But, as is clear from the name itself, the carrier is not intended to be attached to a chassis and turned into a stroller. It can only be carried by hand. Often such a car seat has an arched base, thanks to which it can easily turn into a kind of rocking chair for a small child. Many models are equipped with a reclining backrest with adjustable tilt.
On sale you can find both universal carriers that are secured using standard seat belts, and models designed for installation using the Isofix (European standard) and LATCH (American standard) systems. Also, the carrier must be equipped with additional internal seat belts. The universal car carrier can be installed on both the front and back seats. But in any case, it must be secured only against the direction of the vehicle. If there are no other adults in the car except the driver, it is more appropriate to place the carrier in the front seat. This will make it easier for the driver to look after the baby.
When using this type of car seat, remember that it is not healthy for small children to sit for long periods of time. It is advisable that the travel time in a carrier chair does not exceed 1.5 hours. If the trip is expected to be longer, it is better to use a car seat.
Car seats
In a narrow sense, a car seat is a special child restraint device equipped with a backrest. Car seats are designed for children who can sit up independently. These devices belong to groups 1, 2, 3.
A classic car seat is usually designed to protect against a frontal impact. Since many accidents on the road are associated with side impacts, a number of manufacturers produce car seats equipped with additional protection: armrests, head protection. For many models, the backrest can be adjusted. The device with an adjustable back allows you to provide the child with significant greater comfort Unlike a regular car seat, the backrest of which is not adjustable. In such a chair, for example, a child can sleep peacefully during a long trip.
A classic car seat is installed in the back seat of the car, although, if necessary, car seats of groups 1 and 2 can be placed in the front seat. They should only be installed facing the direction of travel. In most cases, the seat is secured using standard seat belts. There are also special fastening systems that some cars are equipped with: these are the already mentioned Isofix and LATCH.
Group 1 seats are equipped with internal belts that secure the child. A table can also be used, which is simultaneously used for play purposes and holds the child in a chair. In models belonging to groups 2 and 3, there are no internal belts; standard seat belts are used to protect the child. It is for this reason that most devices of the second and third groups are combined into a single group. In this case, they are labeled as car seats 2 and 3.
Transformers
Many parents complain that they have to buy a car seat more than once. Children grow, their weight increases with age. This means that sooner or later, a moment will come when a child grows out of an old chair in the same way as he grows out of old clothes. Therefore, parents throw away their used child seat and go to choose a new one. The choice is not always easy, and besides, the child also does not want to part with the seat to which he is accustomed. In addition, some children do not perceive the very fact of riding in a chair well, and you have to spend time and nerves accustoming them to a new acquisition.
To save money and not quarrel with your child by forcing him to endure a new, unusual car seat, you can go the other way. There are transformable children's car seats. They differ from regular models in that their sizes can be adjusted. The transformer will grow with the child until he reaches the age at which he can completely stop using any child restraint devices.
To ensure that children continue to feel comfortable as they grow up, several methods are used. Firstly, the chair may have a special insert that is simply removed when the child grows out of it. Secondly, there may be a backrest that can be adjusted in height. You can also adjust the height of the headrest, remove the side protection, and unfasten the armrests. By the way, adjusting the size of a transforming chair can serve a good purpose in winter, when the child is wearing a lot of warm clothes.
Boosters
It’s also difficult to call a booster a chair, since it consists of one seat without a backrest. It is usually used for older children. It is quite difficult to unequivocally answer the question of when a child can be transferred from a regular car seat to a booster seat. The following criteria can be specified:
- The top of the child's head is high above the back of the car seat;
- The child is able to sit with his back parallel to the back of a standard car seat and not slide down.
A booster seat is an additional seat that is installed in the back seat of a car. It is secured with a standard seat belt in such a way as to lift the child. In turn, the same standard seat belt is placed on the child’s chest. If the belt goes above the chest (for example, across the throat), this is a clear sign that the child is not yet old enough to use the booster. Some models have a special lock with which the seat belt is adjusted.
There are models of transformable car seats that, if necessary, turn into a booster. To do this, simply detach the backrest.
The main disadvantage of the booster, which is why many do not recommend using it, is that it is not designed for a side impact. A seat belt holding a child will only protect him from a frontal impact, since the booster has no backrest, side protection, or head protection. The only thing a child seat can be equipped with is armrests, but their purpose is only to increase comfort. No protective function they don't carry.
It is also worth considering that not all children are able to sleep while sitting on a booster. So these devices are not very suitable for long trips. The exception is vehicles with a backrest rear seat can recline.
Unlike many other types of car seats, a booster seat is relatively lightweight. It is easy to install, you can take it out of the car and hide it in the trunk. Fun fact: It is often noted that, unlike traditional car seats, booster seats rarely attract burglars.
Often, parents suddenly find out that in winter the child, dressed in many warm clothes, does not fit into the car seat that fit him in warmer weather. In this case, the booster can also become in a good way solve this problem.
And, of course, the average booster seat costs significantly less than the average car seat.
